


Choosing our Confessions

by Yecam



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Isle of the Lost (Disney) is a Terrible Place, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Politics, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:55:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27998595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yecam/pseuds/Yecam
Summary: Inviting people with many connections is a bit of a no brainer when you want to expand the reach of a project and the three leaders of the pirates are the perfect candidates.Ben invites Uma, Harry, and Gil to Auradon instead of Mal's gang. The Isle sucks and Auradon has its own issues, but maybe these children will be able to help change things for the better.
Relationships: Gil/Jay (Disney: Descendants), Harry Hook/Uma
Comments: 11
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a little seed of an idea that basically consisted of "It was kind of dumb for Ben to bring over the Core Four because they have very few connections beyond their little group" and my anger at the concept of VK Day last spring and has grown into way more than I was ever planning.

“Ugh,” Ben groaned, allowing his eyes to close and his head to fall to his desk in frustration. He was attempting to figure out what his first royal decree would be. The first royal decree was always an important one because it would shape a king’s entire reign and Ben was determined that his would make a difference for the better. Papers littered his desktop with problems and possible ideas of royal decrees that could help fix them. It seemed that the biggest problem was there were so many problems. Ben was having a hard time of deciding which one to focus on and he was running out of time. His coronation was fast approaching and it was tradition for the crown prince to make his first decree while the old king was still ruling. It was a show of good faith, that the old king would be supportive of how the kingdom would be led and that the crown wasn’t being taken by force or by someone unqualified. The importance of the first decree had fallen by the wayside for the past few generations but with the formation of the United States of Auradon it had risen to importance once again. Ben wasn’t the only eligible candidate to be High King, he was surrounded by princes and princesses that had legitimate claims to the thrones in their own kingdoms and if he proved to be underqualified there were dozens who could take over the position of High King and leave Ben to only rule his own kingdom. The only reason that Ben was the first in line to be High King was because his father was the current one. This first decree would serve as a sort of test, a test that he would need to pass if there was any hope to continue any change he began.

He knew there were a lot of things in Auradon that weren’t as perfect as everyone would like to believe. For one, there was a massive inequality between the royalty and the non-royals and nowhere was that clearer than at Auradon Prep. Auradon Prep was considered the best school in all the land and all royals were immediately accepted into it. This made it a must-attend school for anyone who wanted to make a political difference. Sure there were non-royals, but they were rarely considered full students and either they or their parents had to do something in order for the children to get into the school.

For example, Doug, son of Dopey the dwarf, and Ben’s good friend, was only able to attend due to his father and uncles making generous “donations” of the diamonds that they mined. Everyone called the massive amounts of diamonds that the dwarves gave to the school donations but everyone knew it was to bribe the school into accepting Doug and his many cousins despite their lack of royal parentage. 

Jane, daughter of Fairy Godmother, was only in the school because her mother ran the whole place and nobody would dare go against her decision. Under all the layers of kindness that she wore she was still a powerful fae creature even without the wand that she stored in the museum.

There were many others who also fell into that grey category of partial students- Li Lonnie, the daughter of Fa Mulan and Li Shang, Chip Potts, son of Mrs. Potts, Rosette, daughter of Quasimodo, too many to count- and Ben knew that it was wrong. But that was just one aspect of Auradon that was wrong.

His eyes opened and he realized he was facing the massive window that looked out on the water and the distant gray of the Isle of the Lost. An even bigger problem, in Ben’s opinion, was that. The idea of separating villains from society as a whole with no means of escaping wasn’t inherently bad per se, but after they were put on the Isle, the rest of Auradon seemed to forget about them for the most part. They were given no chance to reform, their only option was to sit there and rot. There were far more villains than there should be, twenty years ago, when Ben’s father became king there was an event known as the Great Revival. Nobody knew how it happened, or if they did, they weren’t telling anyone, but the Great Revival brought all of the villains that had been killed back to life and suddenly the land was being overrun by villains that had been defeated years prior.

The land was barren and the sky clouded which left little that would be able to grow there. Without the ability to produce anything they were forced to rely entirely on imports. The issue with that was that no resources were sent over there; not food, not clothes, not medicine, nothing. That wasn’t even mentioning the fact that the villains had children. Annual reports on the Isle were filled out both by more cooperative villains such as the evil sorcerer-turned-professor Yen Sid, as well as some Auradonians who would go undercover and sneak around on the Isle to gather information. Ben had read over the scant reports of the past two decades and what they all had in common was there were so many children. Children who had only ever known the Isle as their home and had never even been given the chance to know good, or have a normal life.

As he turned his gaze to the reports scattered across the desk, an idea began forming in Ben’s mind. Whatever crimes their parents had committed didn’t mean that their children should be punished for them. He knew that his first royal decree could do something about it, but what? If he tried something too big, not only would Auradon not have the resources to handle it, it would dissuade others from following in his footsteps and the children on the Isle of the Lost would never get the chance they deserved. He would have to start small but with the possibility of growth.

His eyes lit on one of the reports that glossed over the social structures that appeared to govern the children of the Isle. In the report it listed some of the more well established groups and their known members, and positions of the members within the group if applicable. Scanning the list Ben’s gaze alighted on one name in particular, his eyes widening. It was just what he was looking for; a relatively large group with a well established hierarchy that included at least one case that would be incredibly influential. Scrambling to find a blank sheet of paper and pencil Ben began drafting a rough outline of his decree. He could start with the known leaders and, if the report was accurate, the rest of the group would be willing to follow suit.

Now that he had the idea he had to figure out how to convince his dad that it was a good idea. As the previous king he would have no official power once Ben was crowned, but he would still have a significant sway over the other kings and queens on the council. Convincing him would be a huge step towards getting the other royals on board to support his plans. He would need to talk to Doug, his friend was good at figuring people out and convincing them, and Ben would need all the help he could get if he wanted this plan to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll probably be updating this once every other week. The first two chapters are super short but they get a bit longer after that. I'll be updating the tags and adding ones that are relevant to the chapters as I go, I don't want to spoil anything. I've written the first 12 chapters so you can expect a pretty consistent schedule for a while.
> 
> If you want to add any comments I would greatly appreciate that :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I said I would post every other week and that will start now, these first two chapters are just so short that I decided to not make you guys wait.

Ben had been sweating through his fitting.

He knew what he was going to do and also knew his parents would be less than thrilled. But he was going to be a king, not just any old king, a High King, and sometimes kings had to make controversial decisions for the greater good.

And sometimes those controversial decisions ended in flaming piles of disaster, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Right?

He was so nervous, staring distractedly out to the dark stain on the horizon that was the Isle of the Lost, that he was having a hard time staying still, leading to his tailor pointedly coughing, waving his finger, and - a few times - physically moving him back into place.

His parents entered the fitting room from their morning garden stroll, gushing over how he was going to become a king even though he was so young. His mother immediately picked up the clothes he had discarded before the fitting and began to fold them, she always had to have her hands busy, a trait he had inherited from her.

He suddenly couldn’t figure out what to do with his hands, finally settling on playing with a piece of lint that had been on his blazer earlier. His voice wavered slightly as he greeted them with a “Hey Pops.” His throat felt tight and he was unable to force any more out. Thankfully, his parents didn’t notice it beyond his “press-smile” and continued going on about how young he was and playfully bickering with each other.

It was now or never. If he didn’t tell them about his decision now he would lose his nerve. He took a breath and said “Mom, Dad,” He tried stepping towards them only to be stopped again by his tailor. Dutifully, he stepped back into place and continued from where he was standing, “I’ve chosen my first official proclamation.”

His parents looked at each other with thinly veiled surprise that Ben knew would only increase once he revealed his idea. He only prayed that the strategy he and Doug had planned out would work.

Steeling himself he continued “I have decided the children on the Isle of the Lost be given a chance,” he took a small breath, preparing himself for his parents’ reactions as he finished with, “to live here in Auradon.”

His mother made a small squeak, the blazer she was holding falling from her suddenly limp hands. His father did not move, but just stared at Ben as though he was waiting for his son to continue.

“Every time I look out to the island I feel like they’ve been abandoned.” At this point he couldn’t stay still and walked over to his parents, his eyes pleading with them to agree with him.

It was his father who spoke first. “The children of our sworn enemies, living among us?”

Now was the time to implement that bargaining tool he learned from Doug. Start with a big request – all the kids – then offer a smaller compromise so his parents would be more likely to accept his idea. “We start out with a few at first, only ones who need our help the most.” His mother nodded a bit. And Ben knew he had gotten her by including how they would be helping those who need it, something his mother would never be able to deny. If his mother was on his side, she would be able to bring his father around. “I’ve already chosen them,” he added, looking at her with a small smirk.

“Have you?” His father queried, stepping forward and puffing his chest out. Ben’s smile instantly dropped as he saw how obviously irritated he was that Ben had made the decision without consulting him first.

Luckily his mother swooped in to the rescue, reminding his father, “I gave you a second chance,” placing a hand on his arm to gently hold him back. That stopped his father in his tracks and he lowered his eyes for a moment in shame. Then his mother asked the question that, despite expecting, he had been dreading.

“Who are their parents?”

He knew it was coming but it didn’t make it any easier. Looking at his mother he began as confidently as he could, “Ursula.” He saw how his mother’s grip on his father’s arm tightened. “Captain Hook.” She blinked, in a shocked manner. Finally, he squared his shoulders and lifted his chin, looking at his father directly, daring him to question his final choice, “And Gaston”. Behind him he heard his tailor gasp and drop his clipboard.

“Gaston?” his father roared. His mother looked shocked and slightly faint. “Do you know what he did to this family?”

“Dad, hear me out here,” he tried to sooth.

“I won’t hear of it,” his father interrupted. Ben vaguely noticed the tailor leave and the doors close, the palace bracing themselves for a full Beast moment. “They are guilty of unspeakable crimes.”

“Dad, their children are innocent! Don’t you think they deserve a shot at a normal life?” His father said nothing, staring Ben down. “Dad?” he tried weakly. Ben then recalled what his mother had said a moment prior and saw a way to save this plan. “You got a second chance,” his father and mother both turned to face Ben, but Ben didn’t allow them a chance to say anything before he continued, “Why shouldn’t these children at least have a first chance? They’ve done nothing and yet Auradon has been punishing them for the crimes of their parents for twenty years. Where’s the justice in that?”

His mother and father looked at each other, seemingly having a silent discussion. Ben allowed them time to think with bated breath and for a moment it felt as though the whole world stood still, waiting for a verdict that would change the future of the kingdom one way or another.

Then he saw his father’s shoulders slump in defeat, and knew he had won before his dad quietly acquiesced, “I suppose the children are innocent.” Ben felt like he could cry in relief, instead he only allowed his shoulders to loosen minutely and a small sigh escaped, unbidden.

His father turned away, as his mother came up to him and straightened his unfinished lapels, “Well,” It was so quiet that he almost didn’t hear it, but her voice got a little stronger so it was more of a soft tone than a breath of wind, “Well done.” She still looked a bit faint, but did her best to give him a smile. It was a bit strained but he returned it with a small, genuine one of his own. She turned away, and sauntered back to his father as casually as she could with a, “Shall we?” It was a little bit too breathy, as though she couldn’t quite catch her breath, and he could see how she leaned heavily on his father’s arm for support as they left.

He looked out the window to the Isle and could only hope his plan to bring the children over would be a success. Adding one of Gaston’s sons was a risk with his need for his father to support his decree but he wanted it to send a message to the rest of Auradon. If he could extend a hand to the child of his parents’ enemy, then everybody else should be able to as well. He only hoped that Gaston LeGume the Fourth would be different from his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gil's brothers are named Gaston the Second and Gaston the Third, why would Gaston break the pattern with Gil? Don't worry, I won't be calling him Gaston the Fourth during this.
> 
> Any comments you want to leave would be greatly appreciated :)


	3. Chapter 3

Uma, daughter of Ursula, Harry, son of Captain Hook, and Gil, son of Gaston, were in Ursula’s Fish and Chips Shop cleaning and enjoying the lack of customers after the insanity of the previous rush. Ursula was out getting some supplies so they were able to speak freely without fear of one of her massive tentacles emerging from the back room and smacking them with a shout to “get back to work.” Uma and Harry were behind the long table that served as a counter, discussing a plan to make sure they were able to get specific supplies for the ship when the next trash barge came, and Gil was humming as he scrubbed at a mysteriously sticky spot on the counter when _They_ came in.

The saloon style doors swung open with a loud creak and a veritable horde of men came in. Gil stopped humming and Uma and Harry’s discussion quickly died as the strangers looked around the room. Their eyes zeroed in on the three of them and they started to make their way over, their steps perfectly in time with each other so no one person’s footfall could be distinguished from another’s.

The nine men were in ridiculously clean yellow and blue suits that were all identical down to the little pins attached to the jackets. Gil couldn’t help but stare at their crisp, pure white collars. White was such a rare color on the Isle, only seen in eyes that you risked to look directly at, flashes of teeth bared in grimaces, and the one feather plume on Harry’s hat, a precious commodity that nobody dared to touch for fear of ruining. And these people wore the clean, snowy color as though it were nothing.

At some point as he stared at their collars, Harry and Uma had come around the table to join Gil; Uma in the middle and slightly ahead of the boys, the position of a captain, with Harry on her right, tightly gripping his hook as he assessed the newcomers and tried to determine if they were threats or not.

No one said anything but three of the men walked directly up to them, wearing identical smiles and holding identical scrolls that they untied and offered the three young pirates. The pirates didn’t move, simply looking at the rolled up scrolls with mistrust. Gil turned to his captain watching to see what she did.

Uma was glaring at the men as though she could bore a hole through them with nothing more than her stare. The smiles slowly started disappearing from the faces of the three men when none of the teenagers took the proffered scrolls. Finally, Uma snatched a scroll from the one who had approached her, and with a small nod to them, Harry and Gil also took their scrolls. Uma turned her back on the newcomers and Gil moved into position to act as a barrier between them as Uma unrolled her scroll and read what it said. Gil didn’t bother with his, it would have taken him too much time and he needed to protect his captain’s back from these newcomers in case they attacked.

He may not have his weapon with him but he was as tall as these strangers were and based on what he could see with the suits that they wore, he was probably stronger too. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at them, doing his best impression of a statue. From the corner of his eyes he saw Harry circling the one who had approached him with a serpentine grace, his eyes wide and stark against the small amount of charcoal he had smudged around them. The uniformed men all looked uncomfortable in the silent shop.

Good, they should be.

Then Uma whipped around, holding the unrolled scroll in her hand and giving it a small shake in the direction of the uniformed man directly in front of her, the man was struggling to keep a tight smile on his face.

“Is this real?” Gil snapped his head in her direction, shocked at the tone of her voice. It sounded almost…scared? But that couldn’t be right. Uma was never scared: cautious, sure; pissed-off, almost always; but scared? No, that was a weakness that Uma would never allow.

Harry was looking at her as well, and was by her side in an instant, his eyes glancing over the parchment she held in a tight grip. He finished and blinked once before pulling open his own parchment so quickly that he almost ripped it in half. Uma plucked Gil’s scroll from his fingers quickly opening it as well, her eyes flying over the words. She exchanged a glance with Harry, his face holding a confusion Gil had never seen before, before both turned to look back at the guards.

“Are these real?” Uma repeated, she sounded stronger this time, not requesting information but demanding it.

“Yes Miss Uma,” the smiles were back on the guards’ faces, wider than before. “You, along with Mr. Harrison Hook and Mr. Gaston LeGume the Fourth.”

Gil flinched at his birth name. Nobody had called him that in years, it was a part of his past that he had given up.

“His name is Gil,” Harry spat out between gritted teeth, his brogue thick with fury, while his left hand had a white knuckle grip on his hook, “and ye would do well to remember that.”

The smiles on the faces of the men tightened again. Gil hoped that their jaws were sore.

“Of course,” the one that appeared to be the leader said, “our apologies Mr. Gil.” He turned to Gil and straightened up with a click of polished shoes before bending slightly at the waist to bow. No one had ever bowed to him before, it was weird.

Gil didn’t say anything. He still didn’t know what was going on but he trusted his captain and Harry to decide what was best. In the meantime, he stood, arms still crossed to act as a reminder to these people in their ridiculously clean outfits that he and his friends were not to be messed with.

“Do we need to decide now?” Uma asked, drawing the attention of the room back to her. “We need to discuss this with our,” she hesitated, Gil knew that she was about to say crew but wasn’t certain what these strangers would think about it. Indecision flitted across her face for an instant, something you wouldn’t see unless you were looking for it, before her face settled back into the calm, collected mask it was before and she settled on the word, “families.”

“Of course,” the leader of the men said, smiling and nodding, “We understand that this is a big decision. When can we expect your answer?”

“Tomorrow, high noon, sharp. If we decide to go, we’ll be here, ready. If we decide to stay you won’t find us.”

“Wonderful,” the man said, smiling so wide his cheeks were squishing his eyes closed, “We hope to see you then.”

With that, all nine men left the shop, leaving the three scrolls in Uma and Harry’s hands as the only evidence that they were ever there.

There was a moment of dead air, the three of them reeling from what had just happened, but then Uma took charge and turned to Harry quickly saying, “Quarter past nine tonight, full crew on the ship, no exceptions. Go.” Harry nodded and quickly left the shop, barely pausing to grab his sword from the bucket by the door. The door hadn’t even fully closed before Uma turned to Gil. “Do you want to read it, or have it read to you?”

Gil considered it for a second. He wanted to get the information on his own but it would take time that he wasn’t sure they had. “Can you read it?” he mumbled, his eyes down in shame. He knew he wasn’t good at reading, with many of the younger kids on the Isle able to read much faster than him. He would be able to figure out the words eventually but his father had practically forbidden reading of any kind for as long as Gil could remember, so he was only able to start learning a few years ago when he joined Uma’s pirate crew.

Uma knew what was going through his head, he had told her shortly after joining, and ever since she had been one of the people most invested in getting him able to read. She walked over to the nearest table, motioning for Gil to follow and laid the open scroll on it. Gil complied and followed her, peering over her shoulder as she began to read, her finger passing under the words so Gil could follow along.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Ben of Auradon, Heir to the High Throne of the United States of Auradon, hereby requests the pleasure of your company, Gaston LeGume the Fourth,” Uma’s lips curled in distaste as she said Gil’s birth name but she continued nonetheless, “for the upcoming academic year at Auradon Preparatory Academy. Please notify His Majesty’s couriers of your response to this request.” The words then changed from a fancy typeface to a hand written message that said, “I would love to mend the bridge between our families, and hope you come. HRH Prince Ben.”

She finished and Gil was shocked. The first thing out of his mouth was, “Those guys were from Auradon?” he paused, turning the information over in his head. “So that’s why their collars were so white,” he mumbled under his breath.

Uma looked at him for a second before she snorted a bit, “You know Gil, that’s what I like about you, you notice things that no one else would, like how white their collars were.” She clapped him on the back and looked at the clock that hung precariously from the wall. “We have six hours until we all meet up and decide what to do,” she looked down at the scrolls on the table and began rolling them back up. “You’re going to bring these to the Lost Revenge and put them in the chest of drawers in my personal quarters. The second drawer from the top on the side closer to the door should have room in it.” She turned to Gil pressing the scrolls into his arms and looking him dead in the eye, “Do not let anyone see them. Do you understand?”

“Aye aye Captain,” he nodded, tucking the scrolls into his clothes so the rigid tubes wouldn’t be easily visible. He tightened some of the straps so the papers couldn’t be grabbed by any pickpockets, and asked, “After that, what do you want me to do?”

“Come back here. Harry can deal with letting the crew know, we need to make sure everything seems as normal as possible until then. We can’t afford letting anyone know, especially not before we actually decide.”

“Understood,” Gil said with a final nod, “I’ll be back soon.” With that, he grabbed his sword and left, quietly sneaking through back alleys and side streets, towards the docks.

He kept his sword out and at the ready despite knowing that Uma’s power ensured he was relatively safe on this part of the island. However, “relatively safe” on the Isle still warranted a fair bit of caution if you didn’t want to run into something, or someone, nasty. He was more cautious than usual due to the precious, and top secret scrolls he was carrying.

His caution made the trip take much longer than usual but he was able to get back to the ship with no incident, making it worth it. As he stepped onboard, he waved at the lookout, adjusting his gait to match the slight motion of the harbored ship. She waved back, and he yelled up, “Has Harry come by yet?” There was no need to elaborate on what he meant, if she knew, she knew, if she didn’t, she would soon. Yelling anything more was just asking for trouble.

“Yes,” she yelled back, it was Desiree, one of the crew members who, despite being a more recent recruit, made up for her lack of experience with an enthusiastic willingness to learn. The pink tips of her hair were flying around in the wind from where she was leaning out of the crow’s nest. She quickly scrambled down the nets until she was hanging off of them a few feet above Gil. “We were the first place he came so we could spread the word to anyone who came here. Any idea about what is up?” she asked in a quieter voice.

“You’ll find out later,” his answer was vague enough that no listening ears would know what they were talking about.

Desiree growled, “I do not like not knowing,” she grouched, but sensing that she would get no additional information out of Gil she quickly climbed back up the lookout perch. Gil rolled his eyes, she was always impatient and would be on edge until later when the whole crew was told, but waiting wouldn’t actually hurt anything.

He hurried below deck to where the crew quarters were. At the end of the hall, he entered Uma’s room and opened the drawer she had directed him to. He quickly freed the scrolls from his clothes and gently placed them in the compartment. He closed the drawer and was about to leave, but paused. It wasn’t often anyone was permitted inside Uma’s personal quarters and there were a lot of other drawers. His fingers itched to open another and take a peek but he resisted. As naïve as it may be in a place like the Isle of the Lost, Gil trusted Uma, and by giving him the responsibility of bringing back the scrolls and letting him go into her room unsupervised, it showed that she trusted him. He wasn’t going to betray that kind of trust for something as trivial as curiosity.

He tightened the straps that had been adjusted to hold the scrolls and made sure he looked presentable. With one more longing glance at the large chest of drawers he turned on his heel and made his way back to the deck before once more diving into the shadow-filled, twisting streets.

He was able to get back to the restaurant, his journey back significantly faster, after all, there was no need to worry about pickpockets if you had nothing in your pockets. Once he got back he tried his best to put all thoughts about the Auradonian visitors to the back of his mind, and act as though nothing was wrong or different. It didn’t work very well and he kept looking at the clock more frequently than usual but a discreet smack and look from Uma forced him to stop being so obvious. Gil cleaned dishes and served slop that was only half rotten as the hours until they could leave seemed to drag on forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! We finally get to see the villain kids and the Isle, not to mention the first of many crew members.
> 
> Any comments are super appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

Finally, nine rolled around and Flotsam and Jetsam arrived for their shift and took over from Uma, Gil, and Harry who had returned after tracking down all the crew members and telling them about the meeting. The trio quickly made their way to the Lost Revenge, confidently striding through the twisting streets that led to the docks as groups and individuals dove out of their way, aware that the protection the pirates sold to them could easily be revoked if a member, especially if the captain, was slighted.

As the group came aboard, Uma could see the crew was all gathered, talking to each other about their days. Uma knew that she, Harry, and Gil were five minutes early, but a quick head count confirmed that all ten of her crew were there, eager to hear the promised piece of information. While Uma was tempted to give the announcement out here in the open - standing on the bulwark, her crew gathered below her - she knew it was far too risky. There were ears everywhere and the longer they could keep their secret, the better, especially if they decided against going.

“Everyone,” with that one word, her crew stopped talking, giving their full attention over to her, “we’re going below deck for this.” A buzz of confusion and interest rose from the small crowd but they dutifully descended into the cramped cargo area. Before Gil could follow, Uma stopped him with a hand on his arm, “Go get them,” she told him. He nodded and turned towards the door that led to the quarters which was closer to the prow of the ship. 

“What’s goin’ on Uma?” asked Jamie, running her hands through her greasy blonde hair, fingers getting caught in the hair ties of ponytails and braids, betraying the nerves the whole crew was feeling in her skittish movements.

“Wait for Gil and I’ll tell everyone everything. It’s something big,” Uma responded vaguely, refusing to say anymore.

Shortly after, Gil climbed down the short ladder with the three scrolls tucked under his vest. “Close the trapdoor,” she ordered as he entered.

The mismatched lights that lined the rails on the docks were cut off, plunging the room into absolute darkness. Uma produced a lantern and lit it with a used lighter that had been scavenged two trash barges ago. Once there was enough light to see by, she looked around at the faces of her crew, they stared back at her, scared and unsure of what was happening.

“Harry, Gil, and I got an unusual visit at the restaurant today,” she began, choosing her words carefully as to not cause a panic, “we were presented with a unique opportunity that we wanted to discuss with everyone before deciding. I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is the biggest decision that we have ever made, and quite possibly the biggest decision that we ever will make,” she paused, allowing her words to really sink in as she reached to Gil for the scrolls. “These three scrolls contain invitations to Auradon Prep-”

The rest of her words were cut off as the crew erupted into a cacophony of exclamations and questions. Uma allowed the noise to echo around the enclosed area for a moment before gesturing to Harry. “Shut up!” he yelled in a voice designed to carry over a storm on the sea. The room quieted instantly, a few people silenced mid-word.

“As I was saying,” Uma continued, picking up as though she weren’t interrupted, “the three of us,” she gestured to herself and her two most trusted companions, “have been invited to Auradon Preparatory Academy. What we need to decide is if we go or not. That is where you folks come in,” she leveled a stare at the group gathered before her, “This decision doesn’t just affect the three of us, we’re a crew. What affects one of us affects all of us. The three of us can’t decide on our own, you will guide our decision. This could be a valuable opportunity to get away from here but we would be leaving the rest of you behind. There is also no guarantee that this invitation will extend beyond this year or if anyone else can be brought over. As we consider, keep in mind that, if you advise us to accept, we may never be allowed to cross paths again, but we also may be able to share this opportunity with others. I’m not saying any of this in an attempt to sway your decision. I just want you to consider all options before deciding.”

The crew was silent. Uma was glad, that meant they were all seriously considering what accepting the invitation would entail and nobody was making a rash decision.

Finally, it was Jonas who spoke up. Uma was a bit surprised, for as large and intimidating as Jonas appeared to be, he rarely spoke his mind. “I think that even if it’s never extended to the rest of us, this invitation is too good for you three to pass up. We can take care of ourselves. Besides,” he continued with a sly smile that pulled at the scar on his left cheek, “even if we aren’t officially allowed over I don’t doubt that you’ll find us a way out. After all, every captain needs her crew.” A light chuckle rippled through the crowd.

Uma nodded with a barely concealed smirk, trying not to allow her fondness to show. “Any other thoughts?” she asked the room. Just because one person said they should go didn’t mean everyone agreed and as the captain it was her responsibility to make sure that everyone’s voice was heard in this decision.

Pip spoke up, the usually jovial boy nervous as he scratched the beard that was just beginning to come in. “It’s a great idea but what if-what if-” he trailed off for a moment before pursing his lips and letting out all in one breath, “what if you forget about us?” he looked at Uma for a moment, his eyes filled with more fear that Uma had ever seen before.

“She would never forget about us!” Jamie snapped at Pip, making him look down in shame. “We’re a crew, ain’t nobody forgetting no one,” she glared at the assembled crowd before curling in on herself slightly, reaching to nervously pull one of her ponytails and turning to Uma, “right?” she asked in a small voice.

“Pip brings up a valid fear, but Jamie is right, we’re a crew and that’s stronger than any other bond. It’s closer than blood, closer than allies, closer than a gang, closer than anything else. Being in a crew means that nobody is being forgotten and nobody is being left here.” Uma wasn’t sure what exactly she was saying, after all, she had just said that the offer might not be extended to anyone else and their own invitations would probably expire after a single year. However, the dread in the eyes of her crew made a sense of protection well up within her that demanded she do whatever was necessary to quell their fears. “Jonas was right when he said that even if we go and aren’t given official permission, we will find a way to get all of you guys out of here. We’re not gonna leave a single kid on the Isle,” She made the decision as she spoke. The promise solidifying within her, demanding she fulfil it.

Uma looked at her crew, the lantern’s flame casting wild, flickering shadows across their faces. They still seemed uncertain, “Anybody else want to say anything?” there was silence. 

Looking over to where Harry stood just behind her shoulder she shared a look that communicated the nerves that she couldn’t share with the rest of the crew. For them, she had to be the strong captain, unafraid of anything, but Harry already knew the nerves she felt, he always knew all of the things she could never say. He gave her a nod, not of permission, she doesn’t need his permission for anything, but of encouragement, a nod saying that he trusted her unconditionally. Taking a deep breath Uma knew what she must do.

“Like I said, this isn’t just our decision; it affects all of the rest of you, probably even more than it does us, so we can’t make the decision, you will. Everybody close your eyes,” she waited for everyone to do so before continuing, “Everybody who thinks that Gil, Harry, and myself should stay on the Isle and forget about the scrolls, raise your hand.” Nobody raised their hand. She waited for a moment, to give anyone who was hesitating a chance to vote but the crew resolutely kept their hands down.

“Alright,” she carried on, “now everybody who thinks that Gil, Harry, and myself should go to Auradon, raise your hand,” for a moment nobody rose their hand and Uma wasn’t sure what she would do if nobody actually made a choice either way, but then, hands began to hesitantly rise. After a moment everyone had a hand in the air.

Uma smiled in pride, she knew this was a hard decision for them to make. With this decision they were willingly reducing their ranks, a dangerous thing to do on the Isle, especially since they would be losing the most powerful members of the crew. That wasn’t being boastful. The crew was a rather motley group of children. Half of them were children of minor villains, and henchpeople. They didn’t have the luxury of protection granted by fear people held for their parents. The other half, the ones that had impressive parents still weren’t granted any protection from them. They were the unwanted ones, whose parents just didn’t care about anything other than themselves. 

For all of them, the crew was the closest thing to a real family any of them had, and they were reliant on their heavy hitters to provide the protection their parents couldn’t or wouldn’t give them. Gil was, without a doubt, the strongest one of them, in fact the only kids on the entire Isle he was weaker than were his brothers, and he had an undying, unquestioning loyalty to the crew; Harry, despite being crazy, was a master of stealth, manipulation and making split second decisions; and Uma, well, she was everything, leader, planner, conflict resolver, the reason the crew was formed and the reason why it stayed together.

In a word, she was the captain.

So, even though it terrified her, she was bound to honor the wishes of her crew. “Okay, hands down and open your eyes.” Her crew looked to her with solemn eyes in the dark, stuffy room waiting for her decree.

She took her sword out of her scabbard and held it in front of her face, her posture straightening to her full height and intoned in an official voice, “It has been decided.” She swept the sword down and to the side, the point hovering just above the ground. It was a careful, and precise motion due to the cramped quarters of the below deck but it got the point across of a salute without chopping off any noses. “We will be going to Auradon!”

The crew was silent for a moment, no motion in the cramped quarters, even the gentle rolls of waves seemed to pause as the words that changed the future of the crew were spoken into existence. The barrier blocked out all magic on the Isle but in that moment the whole crew would have sworn they could feel something bind all of them, Uma included.

The thrall was broken as Desiree let out a squeal of excitement. “You are going to Auradon!” she shrieked. The rest of the crew cheered, stomping until the small space was filled with noise.

Uma sheathed her sword, and surveyed the group with pride, it would be tough but they would be fine. There was a lot to do before they would leave the next day; duties to be appointed, and arrangements to be made, but for now she allowed them their celebration. She shared another look with Harry who winked at her, and then glanced at Gil who was practically glowing with excitement. Yes, they were going to be just fine, after all, they would have each other in the enemy territory and the crew would be able to rely on each other back on home turf.


	5. Chapter 5

Uma had given Harry and Gil time to make any necessary arrangements before the three of them left the next day. In the meantime, Uma was meeting with the rest of the crew to figure out the power structure of the crew while the three of them were away. Harry had gone to the Jolly Roger to say goodbye to his sisters, his father’s first mate Mr. Smee, and Mr. Smee’s twin sons Squeaky and Squirmy.

Gil knew that Harry wouldn’t bother saying goodbye to his father; Captain Hook probably wouldn’t even be conscious enough to respond if he did. As the years passed it slowly had become clear to Hook that he would never sail again. The barrier extended beyond the island enough that ships could dock, but no more. The water remained as still as glass without a single wave in the dead air of the Isle. While the Jolly Roger still floated, the old captain sunk deeper into despair, searching for solace in the bottom of bottles. The last time anyone could actually remember him being sober was when he gave Harry a hook of his own but that was years ago. Harry never was seen without it now, Gil knew it was because it reminded him of the good times with his father, before the man had lost himself entirely to the siren’s call of the swirling amber liquid.

Gil was going to see somebody too, but it wasn’t his family. They had always treated Gil as though he was lower than dirt. When he was younger Gil had thought that if only he was a bit stronger or a bit meaner then maybe Gaston would approve of him. It never worked. Gil was strong but his older brothers were stronger and meaner and his father was even worse than them.

No, he wouldn’t see them, he had someone else. They were on opposite sides of the Isle, so to set up a meeting Gil had sent a coded message through the grapevine of children that were old enough to leave their houses but too young to be affiliated with any gangs. He had sent out the message as he was returning to the restaurant, already knowing that he would need to tell the other regardless of what decision was made. It was dark, the clouds blocking out any light from the moon or stars, but, like many, Gil had been wandering the Isle ever since he could walk and was easily able to navigate with no need to see. He slowly made his way through side streets and alleys, scaling walls and dropping from rusty fire escapes, doubling back and twisting his path around to make sure nobody was tailing him. If his meeting was found out it would be disastrous for everyone involved.

Eventually he ended up on a difficult to access roof that bordered Uma’s territory and Mal’s. To the casual observer the roof would appear to be abandoned, but Gil knew that over in a corner where it looked like garbage had collected, a few ratty but soft blankets lay piled under a tarp. He didn’t uncover the pile, it wasn’t safe to yet, not until he got confirmation that the message had made it and not been intercepted and decoded by anyone else. He sat on the ground with his back against the short wall that bordered the edge of the roof and provided some privacy and took out his harmonica, blowing a single note and then replacing it into his pocket before he settled in to wait, listening. The one note was to signal that he was there. As he waited, he idly dragged his fingertips across the ground, feeling the grit gently scratch against his calluses. Every minute or so, he pulled the harmonica out and blew the one note again.

After a few minutes his ears caught a whisper of motion, the creak of well worn leather and then after a moment, boots gently landing on the ground. Gil grabbed his sword and spun to an upright position, his weapon out and pointing up to where the other figure that now accompanied him on the roof stood on the wall. He relaxed slightly as he took in the familiar leather vest and red beanie of the person he was waiting for but still kept his sword up, ready to strike just in case. The other person held up a large, slightly rusty knife pointing it at Gil, eyeing him warily.

“You like gold, I hear that the sun’s made of it. You should go get it,” Gil said the old code that let the other know that he had called the meeting and was alone.

The other person sighed in relief and began sheathing the large knife and responded with, “Funny, I heard it was an egg.”

At the words of the old code Gil smiled and sheathed his sword. “It’s good to see you, Jay,” he said approaching the other boy.

“It’s been a while,” Jay responded, closing the distance and enveloping Gil in a hug.

Gil nodded into Jay’s shoulder, as he hugged him back. For a moment Gil allowed himself to do nothing but enjoy the warm embrace of the other boy and breathe in the scent of leather, sweat, and spices that was distinctly Jay. Jay, the son of Jafar, was part of Mal’s gang and technically that made him Uma’s, and by extension Gil’s, enemy. Recently, Mal had made a move to try and take part of Uma’s territory and neither Gil, nor Jay could risk trying to get away to their roof. Both of their groups were watched too intently to allow the boys to slip away unnoticed.

The two had formed their relationship outside of the gangs and even though it was dangerous and downright treasonous to be with the enemy, their relationship had grown. It was hard for both of them, their loyalty to their leaders was immense, and they knew the betrayal they committed each time they met like this. Down in the streets and on the docks they had to be Uma’s second mate and Mal’s right hand man, but up on the roof they were just Gil and Jay.

Gil didn’t want to break the embrace but he had to tell Jay about the scrolls. He knew that the boy wouldn’t tell Mal, that was their deal, neither of them spoke about the roof when they left. Reluctant to leave the comfort of Jay’s arms, Gil pulled back just enough so his voice wouldn’t be muffled by Jay’s vest and said lowly, “I’m going away.”

Jay’s arms tightened around him and practically whined, “What do you mean? I know that it took me a while, but we just got here.”

Gil chuckled, and freed himself from the embrace, with a shake of his head, “That’s not what I mean,” he moved to the corner of the roof and uncovered the blankets, “but it’s a bit of a long story. Well, not exactly long, but complicated, so let’s get comfy and then I’ll tell you.”

Jay followed Gil. “Now you’ve got me intrigued,” he joked as he began to help set up the blankets in a kind of makeshift nest.

“You have no idea,” Gil muttered into the blanket in his arms. Jay obviously heard him and raised an eyebrow at that comment but just continued setting up the blankets.

Eventually, the blankets were arranged in a comfortable way and the two boys climbed into the carefully arranged pile, wrapping one of the larger blankets around their shoulders as they leaned against each other, Gil’s head dropping to rest on Jay’s shoulder.

“So,” Jay prompted, as he finished adjusting into a comfortable position, his left hand finding its way into Gil’s hair beneath his skullcap hat, “what do you mean when you say you’re going away? I’m assuming that you don’t mean that you’re breaking up with me based on this.” Gil could hear the uncertainty in Jay’s voice, even as he tried to cover it up with an attempt of humor.

“No!” Gil quickly responded jolting upright, the sudden motion causing Jay’s hand to fall away. Gil was unable to keep a note of panic from entering his voice at the suggestion of breaking up. He had no intention of doing that, but now that a seed of the idea was placed in his head he couldn’t help but consider it. Would it be kinder to just cut this off and allow Jay the freedom of not waiting for someone who might not come back? It probably would be. If he was a good person, Gil would break up with Jay, better a quick heartbreak than a prolonged ache. But, Gil was selfish, one of the only things his father had ever taught him to be. So even if it would be better for Jay if Gil just cut ties with him, he wouldn’t, he couldn’t. “No,” he repeated forcing himself to be calm despite his racing thoughts. He leaned back down to once again rest against Jay, “that’s not what I meant.”

Gil could feel a tension in Jay, one he hadn’t registered being there, release as Jay let out a chuckle that was closer to a sigh of relief than a laugh. His hand naturally found it’s way back to Gil the moment contact between them was reestablished. “Of course not. After all, who would want to break up with all of this.” He used the hand that wasn’t gently scratching Gil’s head to gesture to himself. 

“Careful,” Gil said, gently elbowing Jay with a smile, “or your head’s gonna get so big that you won’t be able to fit it in your beanie.”

The two boys chuckled and Gil allowed himself another moment to just enjoy Jay’s company, the hand that gently played with his hair that was just shy of brushing his shoulders, the comforting sensation of being held by someone who had his back.

“But seriously,” Jay said, his voice soft enough that it didn’t shatter the peace of the roof, “what did you mean?”

Gil hesitated then sat up, so he could look directly at Jay, the blanket falling from his shoulders. Sensing the solemnity of Gil, Jay also sat up so they were facing each other in their nest of blankets. “You can’t tell anyone,” Gil began. He cut off Jay’s attempt to reassure him, “If you do, everything will be ruined.”

Jay placed his right hand across his chest to rest on his heart and slightly bowed his head. “You have my word Gil. I won’t speak a word of this to anyone. Not even Mal.”

Gil nodded, “Good.” He took a steadying breath and stated as calmly as he could, “Harry, Uma, and I are going to Auradon.”

Jay jerked back as though someone had slapped him. “You’re what!?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: This chapter discusses child abuse, if you want to avoid it skip from ""Jay, what is it?"" to "He sat in the alley doing his best to hold back his tears..."

“We’re going to Auradon,” Gil repeated, he had expected something like this reaction. Nobody left the Isle, it was impossible.

Jay stared at him incredulously for a few moments before he leaned in very close and, casting nervous glances around as though worried about listening ears, asked in a rushed whisper, “Did you guys break the barrier?”

“No, nothing like that. Gods that would be something though, wouldn’t it?” Gil thought about the one time someone actually broke the barrier. If rumors were to be believed, it was Carlos de Vil, son of Cruella de Vil, who had done it and even then it was one of his inventions malfunctioning. The hole had only lasted a few moments before it was fixed, but Gil could still remember seeing, high up above him, a hole of bright blue sky. It was so bright, the ever present dark, oppressive clouds of the Isle made his eyes more used to dim lighting and even though he wasn’t able to see the sun, just looking at the patch of sky hurt. Despite the pain he didn’t look away until after the hole was fixed and closed, hoping to burn the color into his memory. He had been so sure he would never get the chance to see it again, but now he did. “It’s something even weirder than that, the three of us were invited.”

Jay looked confused, “What do you mean, invited?”

So Gil told him everything. The Auradonians who visited the restaurant, the secrecy – which he stressed the importance of – and then the discussion with the crew and the eventual decision to go. During the whole explanation Jay sat, mouth agape, staring at Gil.

When Gil finished there was a moment of dead air as Jay processed the information, “Wow, that’s just…wow, this is crazy,” then he asked tentatively, “You said that Uma promised that she would get everyone off the Isle. Do you think she can?” he hesitated and Gil allowed him the time to find his words. “And, do you think, you know, I’m part of Mal’s gang, and she isn’t exactly, on good terms or anything. Would she be, you know, willing to… She wouldn’t leave us here, right?” The look in Jay’s dark eyes was one of hope, but not the foolish hope of Auradon that could be seen on the static-y televisions. No, this was a guarded hope, one that had been destroyed too often to be allowed to flourish, one that was more used to rejection than anything else.

Gil took Jay’s hands in his own and gave them a gentle squeeze. “Uma’s not gonna leave anyone over here. She knows that even with how much we fight and everything, all of us are still just kids. We aren’t each other’s enemy, our parents are the enemies and the people in Auradon who left us here are the enemies, not each other. Uma will get all of us off of this island and away from our parents, she promised and I trust her.” Gil smiled, trying to look as earnest as possible as Jay looked back at him. 

Eventually, Jay nodded, and said, “Okay, you say you trust her, and I trust you. Do you know how long you guys will be gone?”

“The scroll said “academic year” so unless we screw up really bad, probably for at least the first semester.” Gil paused for a moment. That was around 4 months, which was a long time. A lot could change in that time. “I’m gonna miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“I know that I said I don’t want to break up, and I still don’t,” Gil hurried out the reassurance quickly, before Jay could begin to doubt, “but, I know it’s a long time, would you be willing to wait for me?” Gil would understand it if Jay said no. He was a good looking guy and Gil had seen girls and guys alike fawning over him, with varying levels of obviousness, in the market. Jay could have his pick of any of them instead of waiting months until he could see Gil again.

Instead of responding, Jay took his hands back from Gils’ and took off one of the cuffs that he wore to reveal a thin braided string bracelet. “I know it’s not much,” Jay began, his nimble fingers making quick work of the tight knot, “but I made this a few weeks ago. I made it out of our colors and I’ve been keeping it on me to remind myself that even when we’re physically apart, we still have each other.” He held out the bracelet and gingerly Gil picked it up, the individual stands were orange and brown for Gil, red and blue for Jay, and yellow for both of them. “I think you should have it,” Jay’s voice broke Gil out of his reverie.

“Really? Are you sure?” Gil asked as Jay plucked the bracelet from Gil’s hand and began to tie it around his wrist.

“Yeah, I want you to remember that even when you’re surrounded by those fancy princes and princesses, you’ve got someone over here that has your back.” He adjusted the leather bands that Gil wore and sat back for a moment to make sure the string wasn’t visible. “Even if you can’t see me.”

Gil looked at his wrist where he now had hidden a promise from Jay that he would wait for Gil. Looking up, he saw that Jay looked uncertain and to get rid of that look he smiled and flung himself bodily at Jay.

He ended up knocking the boy over and landing on him. “Ow! Easy there Gil,” Jay said. He sat up and hissed, a hand going to his side, his face contorting with pain for a moment before Jay was able to hide it again.

“What’s wrong?” Gil asked, his eyes immediately going to where the other boy was holding his side.

“It’s nothing,” Jay tried to assure, but Gil knew something was up. The tackle wasn’t enough to cause any damage, Gil was aware of his strength and even with someone as strong as Jay, he was careful not to put his full strength into anything.

“Jay, what is it?”

He leveled a steely gaze on the other until Jay finally relented, muttering, “My dad decided that I didn’t bring back enough stuff to the store yesterday and decided to teach me a lesson with his staff.”

“Show me.” Jay tried to avoid it, but Gil wasn’t budging. He just repeated “Show me.”

Sighing, Jay unzipped his vest and took his right arm out of it allowing a clear view of his side. Gil grimaced at the purple and black splotches that littered the side of Jay’s ribs.

“Have you checked for any breaks yet?” Gil asked, all business as he observed the way Jay’s too prominent ribs moved under his skin as Jay breathed.

“Not extensively. But there’s nothing too major as far as I can tell.”

“Okay,” Gil said and he gently placed his fingers along the ribs, soft enough that he didn’t apply any pressure and hurt Jay. “Take a couple deep breaths for me,” he instructed, paying attention to the bones under his fingers and watching Jay’s face for any expression of pain that he might try to deny. After each full inhale and exhale he moved his fingers, to search for any abnormal motion. Eventually, he told Jay that he could stop. Everything felt fine but there was one more test that he had to do, just in case. This was his least favorite part, but he had to make sure that Jay didn’t have any broken ribs. 

“This will hurt,” he said to warn Jay.

Jay nodded, this wasn’t the first time that someone had to prod him to make sure that one of his bones wasn’t broken. He clenched his teeth and turned his head away.

Gil firmly pressed down on the ribs all around the bruises. He could hear the pained, hissed breaths of Jay but Gil couldn’t rush through this. Finally, he was satisfied that there were no breaks or cracks, at least none that he could feel. He removed his hands and let out a relieved sigh, “Just bruises, you’ll be okay.”

Jay nodded and turned away to quickly shrug his vest back on and zip it up, covering his injuries without a word. Gil understood, it was dangerous to show weakness on the Isle. For Jay to not only show Gil his injuries, but also allow him to lay his hands on them demonstrated more trust than mere words would ever show. It made Gil mad that Jay had to go through this. Jafar was powerful enough that Jay was afforded protection from his reputation, but it didn’t do much good if that protection led to injury. Gil knew that the very power that afforded Jay protection from external powers could just as easily be turned against him if he ever tried to leave. So he was stuck there, forced to steal trinkets for his father’s shop every day, and any small slip would lead to beatings with injuries that if left to his own devices Jay would ignore. It was hard to trust people, they could take advantage of you, especially if you were injured. But, somehow, over the years Gil and Jay had formed a mutual trust so they always had someone to look over injuries no matter how they got them.

It reminded Gil of the first time the two had ever met, it was similar to this, but instead of Jay’s ribs it was Gil’s wrist. They were 7 and it was long before Uma had formed her crew or Mal her gang, they were still kids with little to no ties and Gil had just suffered a particularly brutal beating from his brothers. Gaston Junior and Gaston the Third had eventually gotten bored and gone off to do something else. Gil had managed to limp into a small, mostly abandoned alley that connected to the main road and slumped down against the grimy wall. He hadn’t learned how to categorize his injuries yet; all he knew was that he hurt everywhere.

He sat in the alley doing his best to hold back his tears – even then, he knew that tears only led to more pain – for a while, he lost track of time but he knew that the sky was noticeably darker when his painful wallowing was interrupted. He heard a shuffling from above him and saw a boy that seemed to be near his age, with long black hair, hanging upside-down by his knees from a pipe that ran over the alley. The two stared at each other for a moment, both shocked to see someone else in the alley.

The boy maneuvered down off the pipe, falling and landing on his feet a few feet in front of Gil. “Who are you?” the boy asked Gil with no preamble.

“Gaston LeGume the Fourth,” Gil had answered, curling in on himself.

“That’s a stupid name, too long,” the other boy immediately responded.

Gil had nothing to say against that, he didn’t really like his name, but it wasn’t like he had another one so instead he just shrugged and asked, “Well, what’s your name?”

“I’m Jay,” Jay had answered, sticking out a hand.

Gil had unthinkingly put out his own hand in response. He should have known what would happen, unlike the handshakes that were traditional in Auradon, the customary greeting on the Isle, even among children, was a forearm grasp. It would reveal any weapons hidden in sleeves and was supposed to show that you were unarmed, but anyone who actually believed that was a fool. When Jay aggressively grasped Gil’s forearm he jostled Gil’s wrist. Gil gasped in pain and pulled his arm back, cradling his wrist to his chest. He warily watched Jay, immediately on guard. Even as young as he was, he knew that showing weakness was a danger. Sizing up Jay, Gil realized with disappointment that Jay was about his size, under normal circumstances they would be evenly matched but with Gil down an arm he was at a disadvantage and had no shot of winning if Jay decided to attack.

However, then Jay did the weirdest thing. Instead of attacking he looked around and ducked down next to Gil, kneeling next to him. He grabbed Gil’s arm and pulled it closer to him so he could look at it. “Is it your arm or wrist?” he asked.

“What?” was the only response Gil had for him.

“Arm or wrist, what is is?” at Gil’s silent confusion the boy dramatically sighed and waved his own hand in front of Gil’s face, “Hello, Earth to Mr. Long Name, I don’t have all day here.”

That snapped Gil out of his stupor and he was able to get out, “My wrist.”

“Cool, that’s easier than an arm.” Gil watched as Jay carefully maneuvered his arm so Jay could have easy access to his wrist. Gil knew he should have been afraid; a practical stranger was handling a body part that was already injured. Instead he just watched, sensing that this boy didn’t intend to hurt him further. Anyone else would have told him he was far too trusting, and they would be right, but in that instance he let himself trust and he allowed this strange, brash boy named Jay to gently handle his swollen wrist.

“Try to wiggle your fingers,” Jay instructed and Gil did. Jay put his thin fingers in Gil’s hand and ordered, “squeeze,” and Gil did. That made Jay smile and Gil decided he liked that look on the other boy’s face.

“That’s good,” Jay said, “It means that your wrist probably isn’t broken, but it’s definitely bruised, maybe all the way down to your bones, but still just bruised.” Jay’s face twisted up a bit, thinking for a second. He the dug into a pocket and pulled out a dirty green bandana and carefully used it to snugly wrap Gil’s wrist. 

When he finished he stood up and wiped his hands on his grimy pants. With one final look at Gil he said, “Later man,” and ran off to the still busy main street. All Gil could do was stare after him until he was long gone. The only evidence that he had ever been there was the scrap of fabric keeping Gil’s wrist in place.

A few days later Gil went back to that alley to try and find the strange boy. Jay wasn’t there, Gil hadn’t really expected him to be but he was stumped. He wanted to find him again but wasn’t sure where to look until he looked up at the pipe and had an idea. It wasn’t too far off the ground but jumping as high as he could proved that it was just barely out of reach. However, the crumbling brick wall that it passed over provided him with enough hand and foot holds until he was able to reach the pipe and climb onto it. From there he scooched along the pipe until he reached another wall that he could climb and he just kept climbing up and up, moving from building to building until he could climb no higher. By the end he was probably around 30 or 40 feet in the air, above most of the buildings on the Isle.

It was amazing seeing everything from up there. There was a serene stillness about it, no people, just a few birds. He scanned the horizon, shocked that he could see all the way to the docks, the masts of ships stuck up like naked trees, motionless in the still water they sat in. Then about two blocks away, he saw motion on another roof. His focus narrowed in on where he had seen the flash of movement, searching for its source, after a moment he was able to find it and was delighted to see that it was Jay. Gil could hardly believe his luck as he began to run across the roof tops, carefully balancing over pipes and steel beams that stuck out of half constructed buildings, until he was on a roof across a wide street from where Jay stood, there was no way to cross the gap between the two buildings so he just yelled. “Hey Jay.”

Jay startled and whipped around, his posture loosening when he saw that it was Gil and that he was too far away to reach him. “Hey there Long Name, what’s up?” he said, sauntering over to the side of the building that faced Gil and sitting, his legs hanging over the edge, heels kicking the wall.

“I just, um,” Gil didn’t really have a reason to find Jay again, he had just wanted to see the other boy and, despite how stupid such an action could be, thank him for the help. He dug his hands in his pockets and then felt the edge of the bandana. He pulled it out and held it out across the gap between them declaring, “I wanted to give this back to you.”

Jay eyebrows raised in surprise and then he laughed, “Keep it, green’s not my color anyways.”

“Oh, okay,” Gil put it back in his pocket, feeling a bit foolish.

Jay stood and with one last smile to Gil, yelled, “See you around,” before turning and breaking into a sprint that turned into a leap off the roof, disappearing from sight with a whoop.

And they did see each other, again and again. At first it was just coincidences, but eventually they began seeking each other out and from there it grew into what they had now. Once Gil had asked Jay what made him help him on that day, but Jay could never really explain, all he could say was he had a feeling that he had to help. Whatever the reason, they were both glad for it.

Gil hugged Jay from behind, mindful of the injuries on his right side. “Come here, I’m leaving tomorrow but I’ve got one last night here, and I want to sleep so I can be alert tomorrow. Can you spend the night?”

Jay turned around so he was facing Gil and returned the embrace, “Yeah, I already turned in my haul to dad so he isn’t waiting for me, and the rest of the gang is busy with stuff for their parents so I’ve got the night free.”

“Perfect,” Gil said. He leaned down and caught a quick kiss before sinking into the blanket nest and pulling Jay down to follow.

They adjusted so the both were curled into each other, their legs tangling under the blankets that they piled on top of them. Gil was worried that he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep with all the nerves he had running through his body; the worries of leaving the only place he had ever known and going to a place where he would have to guard against dangers that he didn’t even know had been making him tense all day. But lying with Jay, feeling the warmth radiating off of him and being able to feel his heart beat from where Gil rested his hands against his chest was so comforting that before he knew it he was able to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Gil woke before dawn, anxious for the day ahead. He had some last minute preparations but he allowed himself to just stare at Jay for a moment. He always looked so peaceful while he was sleeping. His hair splayed out like a dark lion’s mane, the tension that usually wrinkled his brow gone, leaving it smooth, his face gentle and open without any of his usual walls up. Gil reached a hand up and gently brushed some hair out of Jay’s face, and he watched the dark brown eyes, that looked entirely black in the predawn light, open.

Jay smiled and said in a voice hoarse with sleep, “Hey.” Gil smiled back at him as Jay detangled his limbs from Gil’s. He sat up and stretched, his back popping, and winced bringing a hand to curl around his right side as the motion no doubt pulled at his injured ribs. “So,” he said, his voice still quiet, “today’s the big day, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Gil groaned, reluctantly sitting up as well, “I guess it is. I’ve got until noon.”

“But you have other things to do before that, don’t you?” Jay asked.

“Yeah,” Gil agreed with a yawn, “gotta help make sure the crew will be able to keep it together with us gone, pack, plan with Uma, you know how it is.” He shrugged, putting his hat back on after it fell off over the night.

The two of them began to gather the blankets, a comfortable silence settling between the pair as they carried them to hide back under the tarp. As they began to spread the garbage over the pile to disguise it, Jay broke the silence, “That means that this will be the last time I see you for a while.”

Gil froze, his body feeling numb as the enormity of what he was about to do actually hit him for the first time. “Yeah, you know, I guess you’re right,” he said faintly. Gil moved to the short wall that bordered the roof and collapsed on it, his bones turned to jelly. He watched as Jay finished spreading the garbage until the pile of blankets was perfectly disguised, then Jay joined him on the ledge.

Gil distantly felt Jay take one of his hand’s in his warm grasp, but he barely registered it, his thoughts tumbling about in his head. He was going to Auradon, it was the dream of every person on the Isle, child and adult alike. It was an amazing, unprecedented, opportunity, and he was going with Uma and Harry, two people he knew would help him and keep him safe. They were going to figure out a way to get all of the kids off the island. So why was he feeling an overwhelming sense of terror? “Am I doing the right thing?” he asked, it was mostly directed to himself but it was also sort of directed to Jay.

“What do you mean? Of course you are,” Jay assured him, turning to face him more fully.

“What if I make such a bad impression on all those fancy Auradon folks that they decide to instantly send us back and never let anyone else ever come over? I’m not always the best at figuring out social cues. If I mess up, it could destroy everyone’s future. That’s too much pressure!”

“Hey, hey, hey, calm down,” Jay interrupted, “You’re okay, and it’ll be fine. Uma will make sure that everything goes fine, and she and Harry will help you. And some day you guys are going to get the rest of us over there with you.”

Gil took a deep breath, “Do you really think I can do it?”

“Yes,” Jay said emphatically. Gil searched his face for any sign of a lie or uncertainty but found none. The amount of faith Jay had in him, on an island where faith was nearly impossible, was honestly a bit frightening. Being lifted so high left him with the possibility of falling very far, but Jay never lied to him, so if he said that Gil could do it, then-

“Okay,” Gil nodded, “you’re right, I’ve got this,” he let out a breath, forcing the tension out of his body. “We’re gonna get you and every other kid off of this god-forsaken rock of an island,” he paused, turning slightly to face Jay, squeezing the hand that still rested in his own before repeating, “We’re gonna get you out of here.”

“I know,” Jay said, with a crooked half smile, he rested the hand that wasn’t holding Gil’s on Gil’s wrist where, underneath the multitude of leather bands, hid the braided string bracelet. “You’ll do great.”

Gil looked at where their hands were touching and whispered, “I’m gonna miss you.”

Jay answered by hugging Gil, the two boys holding each other, before he eventually responded, “I’ll miss you too.”

Gil tightened his hold on Jay, careful of the other boy’s injuries, burying his head into the crook of the other’s neck, breathing in his scent, committing the mixture of smells to memory. He didn’t know how long it would be until he would see Jay again and he didn’t want to risk forgetting anything about him.

Eventually, the sky lightened enough that the boys could tell that outside of the barrier the sun had come up. Reluctantly they separated.

“I need to go, you know, get stuff ready, and stuff,” Gil said, his forehead resting against Jay’s.

“Okay,” Jay said mournfully.

The two took a step back and looked at each other for a moment. The lack of contact left Gil cold.

Words like “love” weren’t used on the Isle. Most of the villainous parents never felt anything even approaching love, and the ones who did always hid it so they wouldn’t seem weak. The children never saw love, they were groomed to never feel it and, if that failed, never show it. It was a weakness that they couldn’t afford. If anyone found someone or something that you loved, they had leverage over you and such leverage could prove to be deadly on the Isle. These restraints on ever learning about the concept of love made it so none of the villain children really knew what love was, but in that moment Gil knew that the warmth that he felt in his heart when he saw Jay, and the constant ache it held when they were apart, the almost physical need to know that he was safe, and his own willingness to put in the effort even when it was hard, it all pointed to love.

It terrified Gil, he had no words to express himself, no words to let Jay know the extent of his feelings for him. Even as he thought that, he knew that three little words could tell him everything, three little words that were never said on the Isle, three little words that he felt but never dared to say.

So instead of saying those dangerous words he rushed up to Jay and kissed him, doing his best to put those three little words that he couldn’t say into action. Jay reciprocated and for a few moments everything in the world felt right. Eventually, the two had to pull apart breathlessly.

“I’m gonna get you out of here,” Gil promised.

“I’ll be waiting for you when you do,” Jay responded.

Gil knew that he was wasting time and he had to get back to the docks before anyone got suspicious or came searching for him, so after one final chaste kiss he turned around and made his way across the roof in the direction of the harbor. At the last moment he turned around and yelled back to Jay who was standing on the opposite side of the roof, “Hey Jay.”

Jay turned back and Gil smiled as he said, “Get a better weapon, that rusty knife would be useless if I actually wanted to fight you.” With a laugh Gil took a running leap off their rooftop to the next.

“Screw you Gil! My knife is great,” Jay yelled indignantly after him.

Gil smiled, running across roofs and pipes and beams on his way back to the docks. When you knew what you were doing, traveling by roof was much faster than winding through the cramped streets and Gil had been taught how to leap from place to place years ago by Jay. It was still early enough that the Isle was only just starting to wake up. Shops and stalls were opening with younger children running around on errands for adults and gangs. Gil was quiet enough that nobody even thought to look up. They never did.

The buildings became a bit further spaced as he approached the docks, the streets a bit wider to account for the extra traffic that came when people dug through the trash barges, so eventually Gil was forced to drop down into a rarely used side street, one that was only a few blocks from Ursula’s Fish and Chips Shop where he would be meeting his destiny later that day. He didn’t go there, instead continuing past it towards the ship, that was where Uma would be meeting him. 

He confidently boarded the ship, cheerfully waving at the current lookout, Jamie, who gave him a fluttery wave back. He went below deck to his cabin and quickly packed his things: two undershirts, a few pairs of underwear, another pair of pants, his personal first aid kit, a sewing kit, his sharpening stone, a notebook he used to practice his reading and writing, and a couple of pencil stubs. He considered the two small containers of orange and black paint, his war paint. He wondered if he would even need it in Auradon, he shrugged and tossed them into the bag, just in case.

He was shocked and slightly dismayed to realize that all his earthly possessions, that he wasn’t already wearing, easily fit into one backpack that he had scavenged from a trash barge a couple years ago. He was pretty sure the bag was more patches than original bag at this point but it worked well enough and he hadn’t found another bag since. He shouldered his light bag and set out to look for Uma.

He went above deck and waved to Jamie and motioned for her to come down. Once she was within earshot she said “’Sup Gil?”

“Do you know where Uma is?” he asked.

“I think she’s still in her cabin, but,” her words caught Gil before he could go look, “she was up late having meetings with us and then she’s been in there with Harry ever since he got back last night, so you might want to wait until she comes out, if you know what I mean,” she said with a sly wink. It was well known that Uma and Harry were an item and Gil had no intention of walking in on them or waking up his captain. She would come and get him once she needed him. He decided to follow Jamie up halfway to the crow’s nest to have some company as he waited, lazily hanging off the nets, gently swaying back and forth. They remained in companionable silence, Jamie’s eyes flicking about near and far for any sign of danger. Jamie was a bit jumpy, but her inability to stay still made her perfect for lookout duty, her eyes never rested on any one location for longer than was absolutely necessary for her to determine if there was a threat or not. 

“So,” Jamie said, one hand sneaking up to to gently tug at a braid, her eyes never stilling for a moment, “today’s the day, ain’t it?” Gil hummed an affirmative and Jamie’s eyes glanced down to him for a moment. “You excited, or piss-your-pants scared? ‘Cause I know I’d be the second one and my only saving grace would be that I wear skirts instead of pants.”

Gil snorted in amusement, for such a jittery girl she could be surprisingly blunt sometimes. “A bit of both. I’m mostly just trying to avoid that second one, after all, I only have one change of pants.”

The two of them chuckled a bit before falling back into silence. Once again it was Jaime who broke it, “I saw ya coming back this morning, on like the roofs,” Gil forced his body to not tense up, he told himself there was no way that she could possibly know any of what had happened so there was no need to worry. “What were you doin’ all the way out there last night? I thought you would have returned to the ship to sleep at least.”

In a forced nonchalance, Gil answered, “I had some personal stuff out by the edge of Uma’s territory that I had to take care of. It took a bit longer than expected so I decided to just stay out there instead of coming back super late.” Most of what he said wasn’t strictly a lie, but instead was more of a half truth.

“Mm-hmm,” Jamie hummed, “Did you get all your stuff done?”

Gil didn’t allow himself to sigh in relief that she didn’t probe any more. A sigh would be a clear indication of his guilt and he wasn’t an idiot who would be caught by something as amateur as that. “Yeah, I got it all sorted out.”

“Cool,” was all she responded with, the two of them once again lapsing into silence. Jamie began to braid one of her ponytails, her eyes constantly flitting around the Isle, while Gil traced his fingers over the texture of the rope that made up the netting and listened to the docks begin to wake up.

According to the TV, birds chirped in the morning in Auradon, but the mornings on the docks were heralded by shouts and at least one petty scuffle that was usually forgotten by the time lunch rolled around. It would be weird in Auradon, the land of perfection, to not hear fights all the time, but Gil supposed that fights weren’t technically “normal” by Auradon standards to hear at almost all hours.

Soon, Gil heard a quick confident stride, followed by long strides that dragged against the deck. He knew the telltale sounds of Uma and Harry’s steps as well as he knew how to hold a sword and, without even looking to confirm what his ears already told him, he climbed down to greet his captain.

“Cap’n,” he said with a smile and lazy salute, “what’s the plan?”

“Come on Gil,” Uma said with a jerk of her head, “too many listening ears out here.” She glared at the various people who were loitering against the dock rails.

Gil cast a quick glance around before following Uma and Harry below deck to the cargo area where everyone was the night before. This time when the hatch was closed, light was able to leak through the cracks between the planks of the ceiling. The light was still a bit too dim so Uma lit the lantern and hung it from a ceiling hook.

“Here’s the plan,” she began, “I looked over the exact wording of the scrolls, they’re pretty sparse but based on the words “academic year” it looks like we’ll be over there until spring. That means we have time, which is good. We have three options but two of them are stupid so we really only have one. The first stupid option is to just chill there and be sent back either if one of us messes up or at the end of the year. We’re not doing that, we gotta get the others out. The other stupid one is to try and break the barrier by force. We know that Fairy Godmother is at least partially responsible for putting it up, but we have no idea who else, if anyone, helped, so taking her out or trying to get and use her wand, assuming we could even control it, might not even bring down the barrier. Besides, we don’t want the adults to get out, just the kids for now. We can deal with the adults later. So that only leaves us with one option. We’re going to have to convince that princeling to convince the king, or whoever is in charge, to bring over more of us and also, this is important, not send us back.”

Uma took a deep breath and continued, “All that being said, what you two need to do is be on your best behavior. We can’t give those assholes who kept us locked up over here any reason to send us back. That means no fighting, no stealing, no Isle rules. We have to play by their rules,” she leveled a hard look at the two of them until they nodded their agreement to the rules she set out. She then turned to fully face Gil and said, “You are gonna be a key player in this.”

“Me?” he asked incredulously. He was prepared to follow Uma’s lead, not play an important part.

“Yes,” she confirmed, “your scroll was the only one that had anything unique in it. Prince Ben wants to mend the bridge between your families. Your dad was his parents’ villain. That gives you an in. So what you’re gonna do is use that in, let him know about how awful the Isle is. From what I’ve seen on the TV he seems to be about our age, he probably has no idea about how much this place sucks. I’ll work on getting him to bring over everyone but you can get him to help in smaller ways; sending over supplies, medicine, that sort of stuff. Anything that can make this place better until we can get the kids out.”

“Uma? What about our enemies, we’re getting them out too, right?” Gil ventured cautiously, his promise to Jay still fresh in his mind.

“The only enemies we really have are the adults. They’re not gettin’ out. Our feuds with other kids are petty in the grand scheme of things. I said we aren’t leaving a single kid here and I meant it.” Her face twisted in distaste as she continued, “I may hate Mal but not even she deserves to be left here.”

Gil nodded, working hard to keep relief off of his face, he knew that Uma would say something like that but it was good to actually hear it out loud.

“Now,” Uma said rubbing her hands together in anticipation, “I’ve told the whole crew what they need to know and we have about four hours until those Auradon guys are coming to get us. That still gives us some time to do stuff around here. Harry, if you’re already packed, Jonas is working in the market today, you go help him.”

Harry groaned dramatically, “Uma,” he whined, “working in the market is so boring. Can’t I do something else?”

“No,” Uma responded sharply, “You collected protection payment two days ago and unless you want to relieve Morris or Fang from restaurant duty, that’s the only option for you,” she smirked at the end, nobody wanted restaurant duty so both she and Gil knew that Harry would do as he was told.

“Fine,” he mumbled moodily.

“Gil,” Uma said, turning to face him, “you are gonna help Bonny sharpen the swords and make sure we have enough stores for at least a month in case the crew has trouble getting stuff while we’re gone.” Gil knew that what Uma really meant was in case any of the other power-hungry gangs tried to attack the ship while they were weakened. If that happened, the crew would need to be prepared to hunker down for a while.

Gil nodded in acknowledgement as Harry whined again, “Uma, that’s way more fun than the market.”

Uma flashed a menacing grin at Harry and just said, “Suck it up Hook,” she then flapped her hands in a shooing motion to the two boys, “Now both of you go, make sure you’re at the chip shop by 11:45, we only have one shot at this and we can’t be late.

“Aye, Captain,” responded the two boys as they climbed out of the cargo hold to go off to their respective duties.

Just as he was about to fully exit the hold, Gil turned back to Uma and asked, “What are you gonna do Captain?”

Uma was deep enough in the cargo hold that the light from the open hatch didn’t reach her, only half of her face was illuminated by the lantern as she flashed a shark’s grin at Gil and said, “We’re going to Auradon, a land where magic isn’t locked away, so I thought I would go visit dear old ma’s room and relieve her of her magic seashell necklace. It’s not like she needs it anymore, and beside, it’ll be good to have a backup in case the negotiations don’t go as planned.”

Gil nodded, and ascended the rest of the way. He was reassured by Uma’s backup plan; this way they didn’t have to rely on the people of Auradon to help them. After all, it wasn’t like they had ever done anything to help the Isle before. Would they really start now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super pleased with this chapter because whatever I did the dialogue just seemed clunky but I hope you enjoy.   
> Next up, actually going to Auradon!


End file.
